A/N: Ok, everyone, I'm up and running again. I know it's been long time and I apoplogize, but I'm back and ready to type!
Standing before a room full of stunned silent bussiness men had never been so satisfying.
"Of course this little change will bring in more money, make us more efficient and save on the amount of power used throughout the city." Ian managed not to smile at the men sitting before him with their jaws hitting the table, "And to celebrate this developement there will be a dinner held at my home in 3 days time. You will all recieve your invotations by then and at the dinner I will introduce you all to the mind that produced this brilliant plan."
With that Ian turned and strode from the room smiling once he was sure that there was no one around to see him do so.
"Wait, say that again?" Gabriel squinted up at Ophelia as she paced the room.
"Ian is throwing a large dinner and I have to go to it." Ophelia stopped and kneeled before the computer chair Gabriel had occupied since 9 that morning doing research until she had arrived, "I wish for you to be my guest." She said, her eyes desperate as she took hold of Gabriel's hands, "I want you there to make it less frightening."
Gabriel had been ready to protest but who in their right mind would say no to such honesty, "Of course I'll go." he smiled as she let out her breathe in a woosh of graditude.
"I don't what I would have done if I was forced to sit in a room full of strangers!" Ophelia rested her forehead against the hands that she still held for a moment before rising to her feet, "Well, then I supose we should probably go to the tux place before it closes."
"What?"
"It's a black tie affair. The press will be there and my brother said to take you here." Ophelia held out a small bussiness card and Gabriel whisled.
"I don't have money enough to go there. I wouldn't have money like that if I sold everything I owned, and thats saying something."
"Ian is paying for it. He said it was payment for getting me to stop asking about holidays and start thinking about bussiness' in the city."
Sara glared as Ian walked into her office at the department.
"Have you decided?" the assassin asked as one corner of his mouth curled up.
"I'll go-BUT-I'm doing it for Ophelia. A room full of unfamiliar faces will probably be a bit frightening for her."
"I still believe that you and Gabriel are underestimating her. She has had years of intense training and is capable of killing a grown man twice her size within seconds." In Ian's mind those qualities would come in quite handy sooner or later.
Of course, Ian worried for his sister's safety but he also knew just how much damage she could cause without using too much energy.
"Are you complaining about how Ophelia gets coddled?" Sara asked, raising an eye brow, "Because Coddling isn't quite what we are doing-"
"I don't believe I ever used the word coddle-"
"We just want her to feel as safe as you do." Sara sighed, "Yes, I know she is fully trained to kill any who threaten her but I just want to show her there is more."
Ian was silent for a moment, then he said quietly, "You and Mr. Bowman have been doing an excellent job of that. Her nightmares have even stopped for now."
Ian stared at the floor but Sara understood what he was feeling and let a small smile come to her lips.
The night of the dinner
Gabriel arrived early as Ian had instructed and was let in by the door man without questions. He carried his tux over one arm as he weaved his way through the bussling servants and up the stairs. He had never been through this part of the mansion before and stopped at every open door looking for Ian or Ophelia.
The door at the end of the hall was open and faint music could be heard along with the familiar voice of Sara . Curious, Gabriel quickened his pace and turned the corner to find both Sara and Ophelia seated with maids all around them. There were women doing their hair, their nails, and makeup - and both the detective and younge assassin looked deadly. The looks they both wore were ones of deepest hate and anger. Sara was talking to Ophelia in a low tone that seemed to make the maids nervous.
No wonder Ian was no where to be found. They were both going to this dinner at his request and they both seemed to regret agreeing to do so.
Gabriel stood there for awhile unnoticed just watching his friends. They were both so beautiful-complete opposites. Sara's skin was golden and her eyes a bright green while Ophelia was pale and her eyes were so dark it was hard to tell what color they were most of the time.
One of the ladies moved to work a brush through Opelia's black hair as a hand on gabriel shoulder startled him.
"It is time for us to get ready." Ian wispered in the younger man's ear as he steered Gabriel away from the door.
There were too many people to count and Ophelia felt a bit overwelmed by it all. Everyone turned to stare as she and Ian made their way down the stairs into the hall.
The grand entrance. Ophelia almost smiled when Ian eplained why bussiness and other wise important people like to make such an entrance.
"People who think they are important like it when others are forced to look up to them. Most people do this by standing while others are seated or entering from a stairwell after the other guests have arrived."
Their lateness wasn't due to the need to have everyone looking up at them but in fact due to Ophelia's elbow length gloves disappearing and then reappearing in the next room.
Gabriel sighed, already bored with the dinner. The actual eating hadn't even begun mainly because the hosts hadn't come down yet.
Glancing at his watch Gabriel sighed again. They were 10 minutes late, and he was begining to worry.
Turning to head back up the stair he had so recently decended gabriel froze in place as looked up at Ophelia. Her gown was strapless and a deep blood red in color. The black gloves matched Ophelia's hair and Gabriel felt bad for the maid who had had the job of doing Ophelia's hair. It must have taken forever to get it all up in those neat little curls on top of her head.
She realy was beautiful.
There was a slight pinch on his arm and the younge man turned to see Sara, also in elegant curls and a black dress smile at him.
"They are beautiful aren't they?" she asked as the siblings began their way down the long stair case towards them.
"They look amazing." Gabriel wispered turning his attention to Ian who looked quite impressive in a black suite with his hair slicked back.
"Hello." Ophelia smiled at them and stepped away from her brother to take Gabriel's offered arm, "You look very handsome." she said looking at the floor as they walked towards the dinning hall.
"Thank you." Gabriel smiled as he noticed many of the bussinessmen there were eyeing Ophelia, "But I feel like I should have done more to look better. Next to you I am invisable."he grinned, "You look incredible."
"Thank you." Ophelia's eyes were still on the floor, "I have something for you." she reached up and pulled a fully open red rose from her hair that Gabriel hadn't noticed before and put it in the botton hole of his jacket pocket.
Ophelia had never given Gabriel anything before and the gesture didn't go unnoticed by Sara or Ian.
"Now you match." Sara beamed, pointing out the darkness of the rose- it was the same color as Ophelia's dress.
"As do you." Ophelia nodded to the white rose Ian had in his coat pocket. Sara had one just like it in her hair.
Sara seemed to flush a little and muttered something about being hungry as she led Ian to the tables were the guests were waiting.
The room had been filled with large circular tables. Each with name tags in fancy gold lettering.
Ian sat with Sara and Ophelia to either side of him and Gabriel was on Ophelia's right. They shared a table with a few men and their wives- employees Ian had known for years. Dinner went smoothly and by the time everyone was waiting on dessert Ian was ready to tell them what they had all come to hear.
"I am proud to annouce that our new head of departments, the very person who came up with the plans to save us millions while making more than even that is Ophelia Nottingham, my sister and now bussiness partner." Ian smiled at Ophelia as she stood next him and everyone in the hall clapped.
Gabriel nearly choked on his wine.
Ophelia? In bussiness?
There were a few flashes as the reporters were given the ok to bring their cameras out.
"Thank you." came a voice in his ear. Gabriel jumped and looked up at Ophelia.
"For what?"
"For teaching me things about the world. For giving me the book that gave me the idea to help my brother." Ophelia smiled and sat next to him, placing a gloved hand on his forearm.
"There is still alot out there to learn about, you know." Gabriel grinned.
"Oh yes, I know. Don't worry I'll still be asking you a million questions when ever I can." Ophelia said as a chocolate dessert was set out before them.
"Good. I don't want my days to get boring or anything." Gabriel said as he laid his hand over Ophelia's.
A/N: And I'm tired. All I have to say is thank the stars for intelligent boyfriends. My computer hasn't been letting me upload anything for for months and I thought I was going the shoot the damn thing till Scott came over and fixed in minutes. Made me feel like a dumb ass but hell, it's fixed, I love him and I'm happy.
Ok, Thanks to my reviewers for reviewing. Birdiee, SilverDragon67, Thelma, and Nanz. I realy appreciate it. Oh, and thanks go out to my friend Chris for complimenting me (many times) on my stories. Compliments from guys are always good.
Standing before a room full of stunned silent bussiness men had never been so satisfying.
"Of course this little change will bring in more money, make us more efficient and save on the amount of power used throughout the city." Ian managed not to smile at the men sitting before him with their jaws hitting the table, "And to celebrate this developement there will be a dinner held at my home in 3 days time. You will all recieve your invotations by then and at the dinner I will introduce you all to the mind that produced this brilliant plan."
With that Ian turned and strode from the room smiling once he was sure that there was no one around to see him do so.
"Wait, say that again?" Gabriel squinted up at Ophelia as she paced the room.
"Ian is throwing a large dinner and I have to go to it." Ophelia stopped and kneeled before the computer chair Gabriel had occupied since 9 that morning doing research until she had arrived, "I wish for you to be my guest." She said, her eyes desperate as she took hold of Gabriel's hands, "I want you there to make it less frightening."
Gabriel had been ready to protest but who in their right mind would say no to such honesty, "Of course I'll go." he smiled as she let out her breathe in a woosh of graditude.
"I don't what I would have done if I was forced to sit in a room full of strangers!" Ophelia rested her forehead against the hands that she still held for a moment before rising to her feet, "Well, then I supose we should probably go to the tux place before it closes."
"What?"
"It's a black tie affair. The press will be there and my brother said to take you here." Ophelia held out a small bussiness card and Gabriel whisled.
"I don't have money enough to go there. I wouldn't have money like that if I sold everything I owned, and thats saying something."
"Ian is paying for it. He said it was payment for getting me to stop asking about holidays and start thinking about bussiness' in the city."
Sara glared as Ian walked into her office at the department.
"Have you decided?" the assassin asked as one corner of his mouth curled up.
"I'll go-BUT-I'm doing it for Ophelia. A room full of unfamiliar faces will probably be a bit frightening for her."
"I still believe that you and Gabriel are underestimating her. She has had years of intense training and is capable of killing a grown man twice her size within seconds." In Ian's mind those qualities would come in quite handy sooner or later.
Of course, Ian worried for his sister's safety but he also knew just how much damage she could cause without using too much energy.
"Are you complaining about how Ophelia gets coddled?" Sara asked, raising an eye brow, "Because Coddling isn't quite what we are doing-"
"I don't believe I ever used the word coddle-"
"We just want her to feel as safe as you do." Sara sighed, "Yes, I know she is fully trained to kill any who threaten her but I just want to show her there is more."
Ian was silent for a moment, then he said quietly, "You and Mr. Bowman have been doing an excellent job of that. Her nightmares have even stopped for now."
Ian stared at the floor but Sara understood what he was feeling and let a small smile come to her lips.
The night of the dinner
Gabriel arrived early as Ian had instructed and was let in by the door man without questions. He carried his tux over one arm as he weaved his way through the bussling servants and up the stairs. He had never been through this part of the mansion before and stopped at every open door looking for Ian or Ophelia.
The door at the end of the hall was open and faint music could be heard along with the familiar voice of Sara . Curious, Gabriel quickened his pace and turned the corner to find both Sara and Ophelia seated with maids all around them. There were women doing their hair, their nails, and makeup - and both the detective and younge assassin looked deadly. The looks they both wore were ones of deepest hate and anger. Sara was talking to Ophelia in a low tone that seemed to make the maids nervous.
No wonder Ian was no where to be found. They were both going to this dinner at his request and they both seemed to regret agreeing to do so.
Gabriel stood there for awhile unnoticed just watching his friends. They were both so beautiful-complete opposites. Sara's skin was golden and her eyes a bright green while Ophelia was pale and her eyes were so dark it was hard to tell what color they were most of the time.
One of the ladies moved to work a brush through Opelia's black hair as a hand on gabriel shoulder startled him.
"It is time for us to get ready." Ian wispered in the younger man's ear as he steered Gabriel away from the door.
There were too many people to count and Ophelia felt a bit overwelmed by it all. Everyone turned to stare as she and Ian made their way down the stairs into the hall.
The grand entrance. Ophelia almost smiled when Ian eplained why bussiness and other wise important people like to make such an entrance.
"People who think they are important like it when others are forced to look up to them. Most people do this by standing while others are seated or entering from a stairwell after the other guests have arrived."
Their lateness wasn't due to the need to have everyone looking up at them but in fact due to Ophelia's elbow length gloves disappearing and then reappearing in the next room.
Gabriel sighed, already bored with the dinner. The actual eating hadn't even begun mainly because the hosts hadn't come down yet.
Glancing at his watch Gabriel sighed again. They were 10 minutes late, and he was begining to worry.
Turning to head back up the stair he had so recently decended gabriel froze in place as looked up at Ophelia. Her gown was strapless and a deep blood red in color. The black gloves matched Ophelia's hair and Gabriel felt bad for the maid who had had the job of doing Ophelia's hair. It must have taken forever to get it all up in those neat little curls on top of her head.
She realy was beautiful.
There was a slight pinch on his arm and the younge man turned to see Sara, also in elegant curls and a black dress smile at him.
"They are beautiful aren't they?" she asked as the siblings began their way down the long stair case towards them.
"They look amazing." Gabriel wispered turning his attention to Ian who looked quite impressive in a black suite with his hair slicked back.
"Hello." Ophelia smiled at them and stepped away from her brother to take Gabriel's offered arm, "You look very handsome." she said looking at the floor as they walked towards the dinning hall.
"Thank you." Gabriel smiled as he noticed many of the bussinessmen there were eyeing Ophelia, "But I feel like I should have done more to look better. Next to you I am invisable."he grinned, "You look incredible."
"Thank you." Ophelia's eyes were still on the floor, "I have something for you." she reached up and pulled a fully open red rose from her hair that Gabriel hadn't noticed before and put it in the botton hole of his jacket pocket.
Ophelia had never given Gabriel anything before and the gesture didn't go unnoticed by Sara or Ian.
"Now you match." Sara beamed, pointing out the darkness of the rose- it was the same color as Ophelia's dress.
"As do you." Ophelia nodded to the white rose Ian had in his coat pocket. Sara had one just like it in her hair.
Sara seemed to flush a little and muttered something about being hungry as she led Ian to the tables were the guests were waiting.
The room had been filled with large circular tables. Each with name tags in fancy gold lettering.
Ian sat with Sara and Ophelia to either side of him and Gabriel was on Ophelia's right. They shared a table with a few men and their wives- employees Ian had known for years. Dinner went smoothly and by the time everyone was waiting on dessert Ian was ready to tell them what they had all come to hear.
"I am proud to annouce that our new head of departments, the very person who came up with the plans to save us millions while making more than even that is Ophelia Nottingham, my sister and now bussiness partner." Ian smiled at Ophelia as she stood next him and everyone in the hall clapped.
Gabriel nearly choked on his wine.
Ophelia? In bussiness?
There were a few flashes as the reporters were given the ok to bring their cameras out.
"Thank you." came a voice in his ear. Gabriel jumped and looked up at Ophelia.
"For what?"
"For teaching me things about the world. For giving me the book that gave me the idea to help my brother." Ophelia smiled and sat next to him, placing a gloved hand on his forearm.
"There is still alot out there to learn about, you know." Gabriel grinned.
"Oh yes, I know. Don't worry I'll still be asking you a million questions when ever I can." Ophelia said as a chocolate dessert was set out before them.
"Good. I don't want my days to get boring or anything." Gabriel said as he laid his hand over Ophelia's.
A/N: And I'm tired. All I have to say is thank the stars for intelligent boyfriends. My computer hasn't been letting me upload anything for for months and I thought I was going the shoot the damn thing till Scott came over and fixed in minutes. Made me feel like a dumb ass but hell, it's fixed, I love him and I'm happy.
Ok, Thanks to my reviewers for reviewing. Birdiee, SilverDragon67, Thelma, and Nanz. I realy appreciate it. Oh, and thanks go out to my friend Chris for complimenting me (many times) on my stories. Compliments from guys are always good.